1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to deglazing and decarbonizing bakery pans and, more specifically, to a method and solution for deglazing and decarbonizing bakery pans at low temperatures using a water-based solution.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A large-scale bakery typically bakes thousands of loaves of bread each day. Each loaf is typically baked in a baking pan that gives the loaf its shape. A baking pan is typically coated with a pan release coating, such as a silicone polymer, prior to the dough that becomes a loaf of bread being put in the baking pan. The baking pan and the dough are then put into an oven, which bakes the loaf for a predetermined amount of time at a predetermined temperature. After baking, the loaf is removed from the baking pan. Once the loaf is removed, the baking pan is cleaned and then reused. Some baking pans may be used to bake several different loaves per day.
After the baking pans have been through a number of baking cycles the release coating will diminish in effectiveness and the baking pans will be cycled through a reglazing process. The reglazing process entails the removal of the worn release coating and any carbonized soils on the baking pan and the application of a new glaze coating. In some cases a decarbonizing step is under taken prior to the removal of the worn glaze in an overnight dissolution process.
The current state of the art for accomplishing the removal of the worn glaze is to submerge a number of pans in an organic solution, which may include diethylene glycol and hexylene glycol supplemented with a small amount of potassium hydroxide, which is heated to about 200° F. for a period of from 1 to 2 hours. A separate decarbonizing step is used if the baking pans have a substantial carbon build-up. The baking pans are then removed, rinsed and washed in a spray cabinet, dried and recoated with a solvent based solution of the silicone polymer.
The high temperature associated with deglazing and decarbonizing results in high energy costs for a large-scale commercial bakery. Also, the use of organic solvents requires special handling and disposal.
Therefore, there is a need for a deglazing and decarbonizing system for bakery pans that deglazes and decarbonizes in a single step.
There is also a need for a deglazing and decarbonizing system for bakery pans that employs an aqueous solvent.
There is also a need for a deglazing and decarbonizing system for bakery pans that deglazes and decarbonizes at a relatively low temperature.